Heat Pump Replacement & Upgrades
If your heat pump is aging, losing efficiency, or breaking down frequently, Southern Maine Heat Pumps can upgrade you to a modern, high-efficiency system. We handle every step from removing your old equipment to installing the latest technology and completing all rebate paperwork. Today’s heat pumps are dramatically more efficient than models from even a few years ago, and upgrading can restore comfort while reducing your energy bills.
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How a Heat Pump Works
- Outdoor unit — fan and compressor extract heat from outside air, even in cold weather
- Reversing valve — switches the system between heating and cooling
- Line set — carries hot, high-pressure refrigerant indoors
- Indoor coil — releases heat into the airstream
- Warm air — the blower delivers it to the room
Heat pump technology has advanced rapidly over the past decade. If your system was installed five or more years ago, there is a strong chance that today's equipment could deliver significantly better heating performance, lower energy consumption, and quieter operation. Southern Maine Heat Pumps helps homeowners in Gorham, Portland, Windham, Standish, and throughout Cumberland County evaluate their existing systems and determine whether a replacement or upgrade makes financial sense. In many cases, the energy savings from a modern unit pay for the upgrade within just a few years, especially when combined with Efficiency Maine rebates.
Common signs that your heat pump needs replacement include rising energy bills despite normal usage, frequent repair calls, uneven heating and cooling throughout your home, excessive noise, and reduced performance during Maine's coldest months. Older systems often use outdated refrigerants that are being phased out, making future repairs increasingly expensive. From South Portland to Cape Elizabeth and throughout Cumberland County, when you choose Southern Maine Heat Pumps for your replacement, we handle every step of the process: safely recovering refrigerant from your old unit in full EPA compliance, removing and disposing of the old equipment, and installing a new high-efficiency system with updated wiring, fresh line sets (or reusing existing ones when possible), and secure mounting.
If you are upgrading from a single-zone system and want to add comfort to additional rooms, consider stepping up to a multi-zone heat pump system. Homeowners who are replacing older oil or propane systems entirely may benefit from a full heat pump installation consultation to ensure the new system is optimally sized and configured. We also recommend replacing an aging electric water heater with a heat pump water heater at the same time to maximize your rebate savings and electrify your home in a single project. After your upgrade, enroll in our annual maintenance program to protect your new warranty and keep the system running at peak efficiency.
Time to Upgrade Your System?
Aging heat pump systems across Cumberland County are costing homeowners more money in energy bills and repairs than they need to spend. If your system is five or more years old, today's modern heat pumps offer dramatically improved efficiency, quieter operation, and better cold-weather performance that can transform your home comfort experience.
Southern Maine Heat Pumps makes the replacement process seamless, handling everything from safe refrigerant recovery to old equipment removal and new system installation. With available Efficiency Maine rebates, upgrading to modern equipment often pays for itself faster than Cumberland County homeowners expect.
Replacing an Aging Heating System With a Heat Pump
Most replacement projects start with a system that's aging out — an oil furnace nearing 20 years, electric baseboard that's become expensive to run, or an early-generation heat pump that never quite handled a Maine winter well. The upgrade decision usually comes down to three questions: replace like-for-like, go all-electric, or keep something as backup.
Signs a System Is Actually Done, Not Just Old
Age alone isn't a great reason to replace a heating system that's still running efficiently. What we actually look for on a replacement estimate: rising repair frequency, a refrigerant type being phased out, a compressor or heat exchanger failure (rather than a minor part), rising fuel or electric costs relative to what a modern system would use for the same comfort, or simply a system that was undersized or poorly matched to the house from the start.
A heat pump nearing the end of its service life that never performed well in winter is a different conversation than a well-sized system that just needs a compressor. We're straightforward about which one we're looking at before recommending a full replacement.
Converting From Oil, Propane, or Electric Baseboard
Converting away from oil or propane removes a fuel-delivery dependency and, for most homes, lowers the cost per unit of heat delivered, though the exact savings depend on local electricity and fuel prices at the time. Converting away from electric-resistance baseboard is usually the more dramatic efficiency jump, since baseboard heat is close to 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat directly, while a heat pump moves multiple units of heat per unit of electricity it consumes.
In either case, existing ductwork (if there is any), electrical panel capacity, and the location of a new outdoor unit all factor into whether the replacement goes ducted, ductless, or a mix of both.
Keeping the Old System as Backup Is a Real Option
Plenty of Southern Maine customers switch their heat pump to primary heat and leave the old oil or propane equipment sitting there on purpose, ready for a hard cold snap, or just because pulling it out isn't worth the labor. Others skip the old system entirely and lean on the small resistance-heat strip already wired into the new equipment's controls, which only kicks on for the handful of hours a year the compressor's output can't quite keep pace on its own. Either path is a planned decision, not a sign the heat pump came up short, and it's one we go over with you before the paperwork, not something we spring on you after the install.
Efficiency Maine
Rebates & Guidance
- Rebate
A replacement qualifies the same as a first-time install
Trading in an old heat pump, or moving off oil, propane, or electric baseboard entirely, taps the identical rebate scale as a brand-new project: $3,000 to $9,000 on a ducted system, or $1,000 to $3,000 per outdoor condenser on a mini-split, all scaled by income tier.
Source: Efficiency Maine - Recommendation
The old furnace doesn't have to go anywhere
A fair number of our replacement customers make the heat pump their day-to-day system and leave the old oil or propane furnace sitting there for an especially cold stretch or an outage. That choice doesn't change the rebate math on the heat pump side one bit.
Source: Efficiency Maine
Program details as of Sep 26, 2026. Rebate amounts and eligibility change; confirm current terms at efficiencymaine.com.
What We Offer
A complete replacement experience from old-unit removal to new-system commissioning.
Comprehensive old system removal
Upgrade to latest high-efficiency models
Reuse existing line sets when possible
Updated electrical and mounting as needed
Complete Efficiency Maine rebate paperwork
Proper refrigerant recovery and disposal
Our Replacement Process
We make upgrading your heat pump seamless, from assessment to performance verification.
System Assessment
We evaluate your current system, identify inefficiencies, and recommend the best replacement options for your needs.
Upgrade Planning
We design the replacement around your existing infrastructure, reusing components where possible to reduce cost.
Old System Removal
We safely remove and dispose of your old equipment, recovering refrigerant in compliance with EPA regulations.
New System Installation
We install your new high-efficiency system with fresh connections, updated wiring, and secure mounting.
Performance Verification
We test the new system thoroughly, compare performance to the old unit, and handle all rebate documentation.
Why Choose Southern Maine Heat Pumps
Replacement and upgrade specialists trusted across Gorham, Portland, Windham, and all of Southern Maine.
Restore peak heating and cooling performance
Lower energy bills with modern efficiency ratings
Quieter operation than older units
Improved cold-weather heating capability
Fresh manufacturer warranty coverage
Maximized rebates and incentive savings
What Our Customers Say
Here's what homeowners across Southern Maine say about the work.
“I could not recommend this company enough. Their pricing, installation, service, and maintenance are top notch. They are quick to respond to calls and e-mails and service calls/maintenance happen quickly as well.”
Josh Vaughn
August 2025
“SMHP did a great job installing heat pumps in our new home and we highly recommend them for their professionalism, technical knowledge, and value. It’s clear Steve and Nate both know the Mitsubishi products well. Through the brutal negative temps this winter, our home has stayed uniformly warm and incredibly comfortable.”
Garrett White
February 2026
“Very knowledgeable and professional staff. Quick high quality work. Easy to work with, efficient. Needed 2 heat pumps and 4 heads installed. They were able to start 2 months quicker than anyone else I called.”
Benjamin McWilliams
April 2026
“Southern Maine Heat Pumps installed 2 heat pumps for me; and they helped file the Maine Efficiency rebates. They were professional and friendly. They are always available to answer my operating questions.”
Chris Paydos
August 2025
“Steve and team have been extremely accommodating and professional with the heat pumps and water heater we’ve had installed! Will happily continue working with them in the future!”
Steve Das
December 2025
“Had 2 heat pumps and a water heater heat pump installed and happy with everything! Very nice people to deal with, highly recommend!”
Bobby Dore
August 2025
Explore Our Other Services
Southern Maine Heat Pumps offers a full range of heating and cooling solutions for your home or business.
Ready to Get Started?
If your heat pump is losing efficiency or breaking down, do not wait for a mid-winter failure. Schedule a free assessment and let our team show you how much you could save with a modern, high-efficiency replacement. We handle everything from old-unit removal to rebate paperwork so you can enjoy worry-free comfort all year long.
Call us directly at (207) 317-1077 or fill out the form to get started.